UW Poll Confirms Majority Support for Partnerships

Earlier this year The Stranger ran an article with provocative title "Poll Accidentally Show Gay Marriage Gaining Ground." Released by the Faith and Freedom Network. Known as "the Elway poll," it claimed to show that the majority of Washingtonians objected to "gay marriage" and would vote that way in November. Unfortunately for opponents of domestic partnership, however, the poll showed support for full marriage equality was rising.

Referendum 71 is not about marriage, though, but domestic partnerships. Referendum 71 affirms domestic partnerships for ALL registered couples, be they of the same gender or heterosexual couples where one or both partners is 62 or older. The issue for older couples, as many know from personal experience, is that "marriage" often cuts into health and retirement benefits "inherited" when a previous spouse died.

A University of Washington poll earlier this month showed a steady growth in support for domestic partnerships over the past few years, and indeed a two-to-one preference for recognition of domestic partnerships.

Washington State politics are noted for the number of individuals who identify as political independents or moderates. The people in the middle of a variety of demographic categories are full domestic partnership supporters. For example, 63.8 percent of political independents and 77.9 percent of ideological moderates are full domestic partnership supporters.

The web site Religious Tolerance has an interesting analysis of this which basically asserts that the only way for opponents of domestic partnerships to "win" at the polls is through explicit and consistent disinformation, designed to suppress the number of voters or make independents and ideological moderates confused about what the referendum actually says

The most effective advertising technique by those opposed to equal rights for same-sex couples would be to portray the referendum as having nothing to do with domestic partnerships. They could try to convince voters that it is a vote for or against same-sex marriage.

Key things for those who affirm the rights of domestic partnerships (both for seniors and others) to focus on are

1. Explicit language in the ballot title that "a domestic partnership is not a marriage"
2. That domestic partnerships allow heterosexual seniors to protect retirement income
3. Same-sex partners may enter into domestic partnerships which are not marriages but
4. Most of the so-called "benefits" of partnership apply only in case of illness or death

Whatever one may think of same-sex civil rights, almost every Washington voter presumably hopes to live past 62 and be involved in some sort of long-term loving relationship. Domestic partnerships as affirmed in Referendum 71 provide a clear way for all of us to assure ourselves a more just and secure future.

Please make sure that your friends know to send in their mail-in allots immediately and APPROVE Referendum 71.

Links

• http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2009/04/27/poll-accidentally-shows-gay-marriage-gaining-ground
• http://www.faithandfreedom.us/weblog/2009/04/elway-results-on-marriage-in-washington.html
• http://www.faithandfreedom.us/pdf/F&FReport_Elway_2009.pdf
• http://www.washingtonpoll.org
• http://www.washingtonpoll.org/pdf/same_sex.pdf
• http://www.religioustolerance.org/hommarrwa8.htm